North-Rift church leaders have condemned the Government for its failure to contain the activities of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
Led by Bishop Thomas Kogo of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Eldoret diocese, they said the Government should show greater commitment in containing the activities of the sect.
"The Government has the necessary machinery to crack down and tame Mungiki activities instead of this sect remaining a permanent security problem to Kenyans," said Kogo.
Scores of people were injured on Saturday when Mungiki sect members engaged the police in running battles in two separate incidents in Nairobi.
The outlawed sect had hijacked a meeting of former Mau Mau freedom fighters and turned it into a Mungiki ceremony.
National Security Minister, Chris Murungaru, has been quoted as saying that the sect may be trying to resurrect itself but that the Government would wipe it out.
Murungaru said police have been given firm instructions to deal ruthlessly with efforts by the sect to make a come back. Yesterday, Kogo questioned why it has taken months for the Government to contain the sect’s activities.
The Government, he said, had at one time declared that the sect no longer existed and that it had been wiped out.
He said the activities of Mungiki members have the potential to scare away investors unless they are contained.
"The Mungiki activities are not only dangerous to Kenyans but can also scare away investors because no one will be willing to invest in an insecure country," added Kogo.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Mau Mau Union has condemned the mayhem caused by the sect members on Saturday during its thanks-giving prayer procession in Nairobi.
In a strongly-worded statement, the union’s national chairman, Mr Harkman Muiruri Muniu, condemned the sect members for hijacking their event.
"We have not had, do not have, and will never have any connection or anything to do with Mungiki. The two movements are spiritually, ideologically, politically and culturally worlds apart and the twine shall never meet," said Muniu.
The statement thanked the GSU personnel on duty on Saturday for averting what could have been a bloodbath in the streets of Nairobi. "We shed enough blood during the fight for independence and would not wish to see any further shedding of blood in the country," said Muniu.
Separately, the former freedom fighters on Sunday converged at the Kiawara home of Internal Security Minister Chris Murungaru where they denounced the sect followers.
The fighters warned the adherents against hiding under the umbrella of Mau Mau to unleash terror.
Mau Mau War Veterans Association of Kenya national chairman, Mr Ndungu wa Gicheru, urged the Government to crack down on the self-styled tobacco sniffing sect members.